Dr. Sydney M. Savion, Vice Chancellor for People, Culture and Belonging at Vanderbilt University, will headline the opening day of Ragan's Employee Experience Conference in Nashville from Aug. 3 to 5, 2026. Her session will address how organizations can build trust and prepare employees for continuous technological change, a critical priority for teams managing internal messaging and workforce transitions.
The human transition in AI adoption
Savion will lead a fireside chat titled "Resilience Through Disruption: The Human Skills That Matter in the AI Era." She will examine why current AI adoption is as much a human transition as a technological one. As a behavioral scientist, she oversees talent, organizational effectiveness, and the human implications of artificial intelligence for one of the nation's top research universities. Her background includes executive roles at Google, Dell Technologies, Cityblock Health, Air New Zealand, and Booz Allen Hamilton, plus service as a retired United States Air Force aerospace officer.
Preparing the workforce for continuous change
During the session, attendees will review workforce trends and the enduring human skills required amid technological shifts. The discussion will focus on leadership strategies needed to foster adaptability and trust. For professionals managing AI for PR & Communications, understanding these human factors is essential when rolling out new tools or managing organizational messaging. Savion's expertise covers how people handle periods of profound transition, drawing on her experience overseeing workforce intelligence and employee wellbeing.
Why this matters for PR and communications professionals
Internal communicators and HR leaders face growing pressure to explain AI integration to employees while maintaining trust. Savion's framework offers a practical approach to framing this transition not merely as a software upgrade, but as a shift in workplace culture. Teams responsible for employee experience can use these insights to draft clearer messaging around AI adoption and build support systems that reduce anxiety during rollout phases.
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